for those. that is what is making news in america this morning. >> get more from abc news online throughout the day. >> thanks so much for watching, everybody. have a great wednesday. live and in hd, this is "good morning washington," on your side. >> straight ahead, the life and legacy of elizabeth edwards. good morning, washington. it's wednesday, thanks for joining us. i am alison starling. >> thanks for waking up with us. i am pamela brown. we begin with traffic and weather. steve rudin, and other cold day d day.ther col >> [no audio]

>> having some microphone issues. we will get back with him. the big story is the cold weather. bitter cold temperatures have people bundling up before heading agilent today. >> causing problems on local roads. courtney robinson has more. good morning. >> good morning. that's right, you have to be bundled up today. indeed a winter coat because it's going to be a little colder than yesterday's. it was very cold yesterday. that cold weather caused a lot of issues, especially underground. when it gets to be cold outside, it causes water main breaks. we saw that all across the region. we saw that in the district where pipes broke.

people look up without water. schools did not have water by the end of the day. a college in maryland canceled classes yesterday for the entire day because of water main break on campus. they will resume classes today. we also saw in montgomery county and other water main break that caused water to flood into the streets causing the streets to turn into sheets of ice, causing dangerous issues for drivers. there board member of fender benders in that area. -- there were a number of fender benders. please report them when you see them. it's going to be another chilly day. in western maryland we have already seen snow falling. there's none here yet.

back to you. >> thank you. meanwhile, western maryland is blanketed with several inches of snow this morning. people have been shoveling. some have been hoping for a mild winter after last year. >> 4:33. this morning the nation remembers elizabeth edwards' cancer or public fight with breast cancer. she died early yesterday at her house in north carolina, a day after the public found out that rthe cancer treatments end.t -- would >> she was smiling on the oxide, a privately pragmatic about her disease. -- smiling on the outside.

>> cancer is going to win. >> the families as we have lost the comforts of elisabeth's presence, but she remains the heart of this family. we love her and we never know anyone more inspiring. she was diagnosed in november of 2004 and refused to hide from public view. >> having a kindred spirit with other men and women facing cancer. >> in 2009 the cancer had spread and she was dealing with presidents infidelity. >> not to the great life story that we hoped for, but a great life nonetheless. >> they divorced. he and their three children or with them at the end. >> you have to write your own

life story. >> those who knew elizabeth edwards described duran as bright, dynamic, and courageous. she had great impact on breast cancer awareness particularly in the d.c. area. >> sheet metal wonderful of outlook on life and a calm demeanor about the prognosis. wonderful outlook. the senate is expected to vote on an immigration reform bill. the "dream act" would give young people whose parents brought them to the u.s. illegally a path to legal status by going to college or joining the military. and the compromise on moscow's "extends the bush era

tax cuts and long-term unemployment. on tuesday the presidents of the deal would not undermine his primary goal of eliminating tax cuts for the rich. congressional leaders say a good deal is not done yet. > house speaker nancy pelosi presided over an annual holiday tradition, lighting the annual capitol christmas tree. it will be lit from might fall until 11:00 every evening until january 1. it's gorgeous. >> a beautiful sight. i can't wait to see it in person. >> 4:36. >> bundle up. and game over for albert haynesworth. b of a dramatic defensive linemen. -- the overdramatics. >> and changes at the fire

department in the district. >> changes in the letter, coming up. -- the weather.

captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> welcome back. a time for looked at traffic and weather every ten minutes. steve rudin has the latest on the frigid forecast. it's 25 degrees. >> it is cold. if 27 at reagan national airport. even colder valid to the west, especially western maryland, frostburg has several inches of snow on the ground. 23 degrees in hagerstown, 21 in gaithersburg. but until fact there has already feels like 17 degrees at dulles airport. the satellite and radar shows skies clearing later this morning into the afternoon. sunshine will have a difficult time warming as up. the mountain snow will come to an end. the clouds will increase friday

and there's rain in the forecast on sunday of this weekend. 33-37 degrees, 15 degrees below average. there will be mostly sunshine. dugan will settle down overnight. temperatures at 12-20 degrees overnight. let's get an update on the rush hour or commute. good morning. wrapping up the overnight "work with the hot lanes project, that's gone. the alternative at gallows road, the inner loop at braddock road, that is picked up. at glebe road today are still there along the left side. westbound 70 frederick at east south street, eastbound lanes are open. wrapping roadwork on southbound 95 at 198 on the left.

southbound wisconsin near newark streets, the right lane is blocked. we have 25 degrees. >> coming up, a distraction or an end to the trauma. albert haynesworth. >> and a firefighter paid tuesday h

welcome back. freezing temperatures are too much for the aging infrastructure across the region. dealing with water main breaks. in gaithersburg there was of pouring onto the roads and caused an iic mess. it's got to several accidents. -- icy mess. president obama's said elizabeth edwards' benefit of the nation's and the less fortunate. she died yesterday after a six- year in battle with cancer at age of 61. president obama is trying to convince democrats to approve the compromise with democrats. while no one is entirely happy with the agreement, the president still leaves its a good deal. >> the corruption scandal in prince george's county, four

the council voted to restrict leslie johnson's leadership responsibilities so that she cannot share any committee. the new prince george's county police chief wasted no time getting down to business. agaw willg chief mark mcculla review the cases of officers on desk duty for misconduct alleged. we have learned at least one employee has been on administrative leave two years and has been paid to the entire time. jay korff has the details. >> in july of 2008 the fire

chief received a complaint from the improvement district. the company's president and limited the department to questionable accounting practice regarding a $120 payment the company received. the company was pleased with the training, but alleged firefighter natalie williams directed the company to pay her directly and not the department. williams was facing a paid leave and an internal investigation was launched into possible misconduct. >> because of the allegations and improprieties and possibility of misconduct and maybe criminal action, it was sent to the inspector general's office. >> that was two years ago. williams has been collecting a 702011 salary per year for doing

nothing since then. a $72,000 sali. some say she should have been fired by now or cleared and put back on the job. she has not been charged internally or criminally in connection with the allegations leveled against her. attempts to reach her have been unsuccessful. the d.c. council is trying to resolve a $188 million budget gap that includes a reduction in welfare payments, and non- essential employees of the state will have to take four furlough days. that will not affect police officers or firefighters. there will be no tax increases. albert haynesworth has been suspended for the rest of the

season, but the redskins. >> very interesting. the redskins charged him with conduct detrimental to buccola. -- to the club. he reportedly stated that he bilal be speaking to coach mike shanahan. >> anytime it involves any of your teammates, you have prepared with them and now they are no longer a part of it, it's tough. >> the suspension is without pay. hanes werth says he will appeal the decision. >> attributes to mark 30 years since the death of former beatle john lennon. he was shot to death outside his apartment building in new york city.

"rolling stone" talks about his final interview quit his family. >> it's cold, 25 degrees. coming up, and new and improved clinic opens in northeast. improved clinic opens in northeast. >>

welcome back. time for a check on traffic and weather.

let's begin with steve rudin. he's in for adam caskey. i think this is the coldest morning we have had in a while. >> it's cold. temperatures in the city, reagan national at 27 degrees. skies are mainly clear. dew points levels are low. temperatures are cooler out to the west. 25 in cumberland, maryland. like 13 degrees in frederick, 15 in winchester. snow has come to an end across western maryland. skies will turn mainly clear with lots of sunshine later today. it will remain unclear for the overnight. , and will increase by the end of the upcoming workweek. rain in the forecast for the end of the weekend. daytime highs around 33-37

degrees today. that's 15 degrees below average. 12-20 degrees tonight. sunshine tomorrow, a 34-39 degrees. back to you. >> thank you. 4:53, 25 degrees. >> thanks for waking up with us. we will be right back.

abc 7 news has aired a series of award winning reports on the dental clinic. >> we uncovered to dentists abusing children and even pinning them down for unnecessary procedures. the companies as those days are behind them. they invited us to look at their new clinic in northeast d.c. >> they will have to take care of our children. >> the lady was very gentle. >> parents and children sang the praises of a small smiles, a clinic for underprivileged children. >> we are in it for the right reason. >> that was not the case three years ago. we found children pinned down on

boards with their noses held shut to open their mollusuths. thatere's no democrat channel 7 helped to shine the light on some practices that need to be changed -- there's no adudoubt. now the parents are allowed tuesday with the children -- allowed to stay "the children-- with the silda. >> it was a good experience. >> a major difference. coming up, a private struggle in the public eye. elizabeth edwards' six-year

battle against breast cancer. >> this country was founded on compromise. this is a long game and not a short game. >> the president's fight over tax cuts. >> how much longer and will deepfreeze last? good morning washington at 5:00 a.m. begins now. >> live and in hd, this is "good morning washington," on your side. >> good morning, washington. welcome back. thanks being with us on this wednesday, december 8. i am pamela brown. >> i am alison starling. thanks for joining us. let's get started with traffic and weather every ten minutes. let's get started with traffic and weather every ten minutes. meteorologist steve